Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2008-09: Nicolas Deschamps managed the same number of goals as his prior season with 24 and only two fewer points with 65 in five fewer games. He managed to play two games with Iowa as well, earning an assist. Was signed to an entry-level deal in July.

2009-10: Posted 18 goals and 26 assists in 31 games with Chicoutimi before getting traded to Moncton, where he posted 21 goals and 31 assists, finishing the season with a total of 38 goals and 96 assists. He also posted a plus-21, 40 PIM, 14 powerplay goals, and 2 shorthanders. He was awarded a spot on the QMJHL second All-Star Team.

2010-11: Deschamps entered his first pro season as a 20-year old rookie with AHL Syracuse; and experienced the predictable growing pains. One of two players to skate in all 80 games for the Crunch, he was one of their few offensive threats but struggled to find consistency. His 15 goals and 31 assists placed him among the top three on the team in both categories (but he played at least 10 games more than all of Syracuse's other leading scorers). His -4 plus/minus was respectable on a team with just three full-time players with positive ratings.

2011-12: Deschamps began the year with Anaheim AHL affiliate Syracuse and was acquired by the Toronto organization in January 2012 in exchange for Luca Caputi. The move seemed to spark Deschamps offensively as he had an increased role with the AHL's Toronto Marlies. After scoring 5 goals with 2 assists in 31 games for Syracuse, he scored 7 goals with 23 assists and was plus-13 with 14 penalty minutes in 40 games for the North Division champions. Deschamps was one of the Marlies' top forwards in their playoff run to the AHL finals; scoring 3 goals with 9 assists and finishing plus-five with 8 penalty minutes.

2012-13: Deschamps spent his third pro season in the AHL, beginning the year with the Toronto Marlies and then skating for the Capitals' AHL affiliate in Hershey following a March trade. Acquired by Washington from the Leafs in exchange for defenseman Kevin Marshall, he played 66 regular season games between the two teams (16 with Hershey) and scored 10 goals with 13 assists; finishing -4 with 28 penalty minutes. The Bears finished fourth in the East Division and lost to Atlantic Division champion Providence in a first round playoff series. Deschamps scored 1 goal with 2 assists and was +1 with 2 penalty minutes in five playoff games. He was re-signed by Washington to a one-year contract as a restricted free agent in July of 2013.

Talent Analysis

A scoring forward with a bevy of offensive skills, Deschamps creates chances with his speed and ability to make plays at high speed. Effective at both ends of the ice, his soft hands and quick release make him a dangerous attacker, but his lack of strength and absence of gritty play at times limits his usefulness and leads to bouts of inconsistency.

Future

Deschamps had been playing for the Toronto Marlies of the AHL in 2012-13, but was acquired by the Washington Capitals in March of 2013. Deschamps is already on his third system in three years though and needs to step up right now if he ever wants to be considered relevant in the NHL.

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Photo: Defenseman Nate Schmidt is one of several promising defensive prospects the Washington Capitals have in their system. Schmidt signed with the Capitals in 2013, following his junior season at the University of Minnesota. (courtesy of Dustin Bradford/Icon SMI)

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Photo: Bruising winger Josh Brittain is one of only four Anaheim draft picks from 2008 that is still part of the Ducks system (courtesy of Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Drafting is not always an exact science, and scouting is indeed one of the toughest jobs in the world. In 2008, the Anaheim Ducks had a draft you could describe as disappointing. While the franchise hit big with talented blueliners in Jake Gardiner and Justin Schultz, neither would ever don an Anaheim uniform, instead breaking into the NHL with Toronto and Edmonton respectively. The rest of the draft was a mixed bag of busts, project players, and depth acquisitions. While every draft is going to have the aforementioned group, the Ducks had very little to take away from a 2008 NHL Draft class that has produced many NHL players across all rounds.

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Photo: Forward Joe Colborne is one of several Toronto Maple Leafs prospects who has NHL experience. (Fred Kfoury/Icon SMI)

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